The instant invention relates to boats, and more particularly to a fuel filler alarm which is operative during a fuel filling operation for indicating when a fuel tank of a boat is in a substantially full condition.
It has generally been found that substantial quantities of fuel, including both gasoline and diesel fuel, are often spilled during boat fueling operations. Specifically, it has been found that substantial quantities of fuel are spilled through fuel tank vent lines and/or fuel filler lines due to overfilling of the fuel tanks of boats during fueling operations. It has been further found that this has not only caused substantial amounts of fuel to be wasted annually, but that it has caused serious pollution of the waters surrounding many marine fueling stations. Further, it has been found that in many instances, fuel spills, particularly gasoline spills, have represented significant fire hazards in marina areas.
In order to overcome the above problem, various alarms and signalling devices have been developed for use in connection with marine craft during fueling operations. For example, the devices disclosed in the ROHAN, U.S. Pat. No. 3,857,350 and RENNER, JR. et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,924,559, generally address the problem of avoiding fuel spills during marine fueling operations. The devices disclosed in the HENSLER, U.S. Pat. No. 2,088,058; SMITH, U.S. Pat. No. 2,309,804; SMITH, U.S. Pat. No. 2,539,281; ELLINGSON, U.S. Pat. No. 2,549,300; McGILLIS et al, U.S. Pat. No. 2,681,031; MILNES, U.S. Pat. No. 2,905,137; SCULLY, U.S. Pat. No. 2,910,956; RUDOLF, U.S. Pat. No. 2,964,009; and HAYNES, U.S. Pat. No. 2,831,452 also generally address the problem of minimizing fuel spills during fueling operations, although they are not specifically directed to marine fueling operations. However, while the devices disclosed in the above references represent the closest prior art to the subject invention of which the applicant is aware, they fail to teach an effective fuel filler alarm which is detachably securable to the hull of a boat adjacent a fuel tank vent thereon and operative for producing an audible signal in response to the outward passage of air from the air vent during a fueling operation. For these reasons, the above references are believed to be of only general interest with respect to the subject invention.
The instant invention provides an effective fuel filler alarm for boats comprising a whistle which is operable in response to an air stream passing outwardly through a fuel tank vent on the hull of a boat during a fueling operation for producing an audible signal and mounting means for releaseably mounting the whistle on the hull of the boat so that air passing outwardly through the fuel tank vent passes through the whistle to produce an audible signal. The mounting means preferably includes a housing having an aperture therein and the whistle is preferably received and secured in the aperture. The mounting means preferably further includes securing means for releasably securing the housing to the hull of the boat adjacent the fuel tank vent so that air passing through the vent passes through the housing and outwardly through the whistle. The means for securing the housing preferably comprises an elastomeric suction ring including inner and outer seal portions and a concave suction portion between the seal portions. The suction ring is constructed so that the inner and outer seal portions are sealingly engageable with the hull of the boat to seal the suction portion from air in the interior of the housing and air on the exterior of the housing, respectively and it is resiliently deformable to evacuate air from the suction portion in order to releasably secure the suction ring to the hull of the boat in a manner similar to a suction cup. The fuel filler alarm preferably further includes a receiver which is detachably secured to the housing for receiving and containing fuel spilled from the vent during a fueling operation and a safety cord which is securable to an adjacent portion of the boat for retaining the fuel filler alarm in the event that the suction ring becomes inadvertently detached from the hull of the boat.
It has been found that the fuel filler alarm of the instant invention can be effectively utilized during a fuel filling operation for indicating when a fuel tank of a boat has reached a substantially full condition. Specifically, it has been found that by securing the suction ring of the fuel filler alarm to the hull of a boat so that the suction ring encircles a fuel tank vent on the boat hull, air exhausted from the vent during a fuel filling operation passes outwardly through the housing of the alarm and through the whistle to produce an audible sound. Accordingly, when a fuel tank associated with the vent reaches a substantially full condition so that the flow rate of the air passing outwardly through the vent is substantially reduced and the pitch or frequency level of the sound produced by the whistle is also substantially reduced to indicate that the fuel tank has reached a substantially full condition. Further, when the fuel tank reaches a full condition so that fuel begins to back up into the vent line connecting the fuel tank to the vent, the flow rate of air is reduced to a minimal level so that the whistle stops producing an audible sound to provide an indication that the fuel tank is full. As a result, in most instances the flow of fuel into the tank can be stopped before fuel overflows from the vent. Further, even if a small amount of fuel is allowed to spill through the vent it is contained in the receiver of the alarm so that it is prevented from spilling overboard.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide an effective device which is operative during a fuel filling operation for indicating when a fuel tank of a boat has reached a substantially full condition.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide an effective device for minimizing fuel spills during marine fueling operations.
An even further object of the instant invention is to provide an effective whistle device which is operative during a fuel filling operation for indicating when a fuel tank of a boat has reached a full condition.
A still further object of the instant invention is to provide an effective alarm device which is operative for indicating when a fuel tank of a boat has reached a full condition, wherein the device includes a receiver for containing a small amount of fuel which has spilled from an associated fuel tank vent.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.